Popular Entertainment

Elvis Presley Record

This Museum's popular entertainment collections hold some of the Smithsonian's most beloved artifacts. The ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz reside here, along with the Muppet character Kermit the Frog, and props from popular television series such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family. But as in many of the Museum's collections, the best-known objects are a small part of the story.

The collection also encompasses many other artifacts of 19th- and 20th-century commercial theater, film, radio, and TV—some 50,000 sound recordings dating back to 1903; posters, publicity stills, and programs from films and performances; puppets; numerous items from World's Fairs from 1851 to 1992; and audiovisual materials on Groucho Marx, to name only a few.

Topic: Television

Boot Covers for Howdy Doody Costume

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
ID Number
1986.0587.03
accession number
1986.0587
catalog number
1986.0587.03

Miss America Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1972. The lunch box features imagery based on the annually televised Miss America Pageant.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1972. The lunch box features imagery based on the annually televised Miss America Pageant. Originally a beauty pageant when it began in 1921, the Miss America Pageant became a “scholarship pageant” over the years, offering its first scholastic financial aid in 1945. The Miss America Pageant is now the world’s largest provider of scholarships for young women, making $45 million dollars available in scholarships on a yearly basis.
Location
Currently on loan
Date made
1972
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
1988.3160.63
nonaccession number
1988.3160
catalog number
1988.3160.63

Vest worn by Sid Caesar as German Professor on Your Show of Shows

Vest worn by Sid Caesar as part of his German Professor costume in sketches on the television series Your Show of Shows.
Description
Vest worn by Sid Caesar as part of his German Professor costume in sketches on the television series Your Show of Shows. The yellow vest is made of a cotton blend, with 4 buttons - 3 white and 1 pearl - and a black back.
Comedian Sid Caesar (1922-2014) was an influential and acclaimed comedian best known for his pioneering work on television, especially Your Show of Shows, a comedy variety show which aired from 1950-1954. The German Professor was a character used by Caesar to mock the pretentiousness of media experts and satirize intellectual fads. In sketches, the Professor’s ridiculous name changed based on whatever expertise he was supposed to have, such as memory expert “Lapse Von Memory” and Medical Doctor “Hugo von Gezundheit.”
date made
ca 1950
ID Number
1989.0172.02
accession number
1989.0172
catalog number
1989.0172.02

Hat worn by Larry Hagman in the role of J. R. Ewing on the TV Series Dallas

Hat worn by Larry Hagman in the role of J.R. Ewing on the television series Dallas, which aired on CBS from 1978-1991.
Description
Hat worn by Larry Hagman in the role of J.R. Ewing on the television series Dallas, which aired on CBS from 1978-1991. The light brown felt cowboy hat has a feather hatband and leather band inside.
One of the longest running hour-long television dramas in American history, Dallas revolved around the lives of the often feuding Ewing family and their oil company in Texas. The show originally focused on the wedding of Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes, but later centered on the greedy and corrupt oil tycoon, J.R. Ewing. The third season's cliffhanger finale left the entire nation wondering who shot J.R., and when the fourth season premiered, it became one of the highest viewed television episodes in history thanks to the millions of people who tuned in to find out the answer to that question.
Date made
1973 - 1983
user; actor
Hagman, Larry
maker
Resistol
ID Number
1984.0193.01
accession number
1984.0193
catalog number
1984.0193.01

Bugs Bunny Coin Bank

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1978
associated person
Blanc, Mel
maker
Jarex Corp.
ID Number
1983.0555.04
accession number
1983.0555
catalog number
1983.0555.04

Lobby Card, Superman’s Peril

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman's Peril" The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman lifting two sailors
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman's Peril" The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman lifting two sailors off the ground by their collars. Superman's costume appears yellow instead of blue as the image has discolored over time, a result of the printing process.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman's Peril" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "The Defeat of Superman," "The Semi-Private Eye," and "The Golden Vulture.
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
copyright holder
National Comics Publications, Inc.
depicted; associated person
Reeves, George
associated person
Neill, Noel
Larson, Jack
ID Number
1987.0213.020
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.020

Dickey and tie worn by Sid Caesar as German Professor on Your Show of Shows

Dickie and tie worn by Sid Caesar as part of his German Professor costume in sketches on the television series Your Show of Shows. The dickie is comprised of a white dress shirt front with attached silver and grey necktie.
Description
Dickie and tie worn by Sid Caesar as part of his German Professor costume in sketches on the television series Your Show of Shows. The dickie is comprised of a white dress shirt front with attached silver and grey necktie. The neck of the shirt is cut and attachable with a silver clasp. The dickie's edges are not finished.
Comedian Sid Caesar (1922-2014) was an influential and acclaimed comedian best known for his pioneering work on television, especially Your Show of Shows, a comedy variety show which aired from 1950-1954. The German Professor was a character used by Caesar to mock the pretentiousness of media experts and satirize intellectual fads. In sketches, the Professor’s ridiculous name changed based on whatever expertise he was supposed to have, such as memory expert “Lapse Von Memory” and Medical Doctor “Hugo von Gezundheit.”
date made
ca 1950
ID Number
1989.0172.03
catalog number
1989.0172.03
accession number
1989.0172

Land of the Giants Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1968, and includes a thermos bottle. The lunch box features imagery from Land of the Giants, a television show that ran on ABC from 1968-1970.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1968, and includes a thermos bottle. The lunch box features imagery from Land of the Giants, a television show that ran on ABC from 1968-1970. The show was produced by Irwin Allen, known for other science fiction and adventure classics like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, and The Time Tunnel. This show centered around the adventures of the crew of the spacecraft Spindrift, marooned on an alien planet whose residents, while humanoid, were 72 feet tall.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1968
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
1988.3160.59
catalog number
1988.3160.59
nonaccession number
1988.3160

Lobby Card, Superman in Exile

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman in Exile." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of four characters, including
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman in Exile." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of four characters, including Superman's alter-ego, Clark Kent in a science laboratory.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman in Exile" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "Superman in Exile;" "The Face and the Voice," and "The Whistling Bird"
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
depicted; associated person
Reeves, George
associated person
Neill, Noel
Larson, Jack
copyright holder
National Comics Publications, Inc.
maker
National Comics Publications, Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.014
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.014

RCA TRK-12 Television

From 1939 to 1941, about 7,000 television sets were sold. This new technology was out of reach for most Americans as sets ranged from $200 to $600.
Description (Brief)
From 1939 to 1941, about 7,000 television sets were sold. This new technology was out of reach for most Americans as sets ranged from $200 to $600. Television broadcasts were limited to a few large cities such as New York and Los Angeles; they became available across the country only after World War II. This early set, serial number 32, was used for limited, experimental service in the New York area.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1939
maker
RCA Corporation
ID Number
EM.326100
catalog number
326100
accession number
258911
model number
TRK-12
serial number
32

Space: 1999 Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1974. The lunch box features imagery of the short-lived TV series, Space: 1999, which ran from 1975-1978 in syndication.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1974. The lunch box features imagery of the short-lived TV series, Space: 1999, which ran from 1975-1978 in syndication. In Space: 1999, an accidental explosion of nuclear waste stored on the moon propelled the moon out of its orbit and sent it hurtling through space sending the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha looking for a new home and encountering adventures along the way.
Date made
1974
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Thermos
ID Number
1988.3160.48
catalog number
1988.3160.48
nonaccession number
1988.3160

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams Lunch Box

This dome-shaped metal lunch box was made in 1977 by Aladdin Industries. The box features imagery based on the hit TV series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, which ran on NBC for two years from 1977-1978.
Description (Brief)
This dome-shaped metal lunch box was made in 1977 by Aladdin Industries. The box features imagery based on the hit TV series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, which ran on NBC for two years from 1977-1978. The television series was based off of a 1974 feature film of the same name that was a huge success. The fictional character of Grizzly Adams was based off of the real man, James Capen Adams, a man who roamed the wilderness and tamed bears and other animals, often for P.T. Barnum’s shows.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
1988.3160.41
catalog number
1988.3160.41
nonaccession number
1988.3160

Neck Scarf From Howdy Doody Costume

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
date used
1950
ID Number
1986.0587.04
accession number
1986.0587
catalog number
1986.0587.04

Happy Days Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1977. The lunch box features imagery from the TV show, Happy Days. Happy Days ran from 1974-1984 on ABC, and was one of the most popular shows of its time.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1977. The lunch box features imagery from the TV show, Happy Days. Happy Days ran from 1974-1984 on ABC, and was one of the most popular shows of its time. It served as the genesis for iconic spin-off series like Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, and Joanie Loves Chachi.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Thermos
ID Number
1988.3160.58
catalog number
1988.3160.58
nonaccession number
1988.3160

Lobby Card, Superman’s Peril

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman's Peril" The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman punching a man dress
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman's Peril" The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman punching a man dressed as a sailor. Superman's costume appears yellow instead of blue as the image has discolored over time, a result of the printing process.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman's Peril" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "The Defeat of Superman," "The Semi-Private Eye," and "The Golden Vulture."
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
copyright holder
National Comics Publications, Inc.
depicted; associated person
Reeves, George
associated person
Neill, Noel
Larson, Jack
maker
National Comics Publications, Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.018
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.018

Lobby Card, Superman in Exile

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman in Exile." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still that includes the characters o
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman in Exile." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still that includes the characters of Clark Kent and Lois Lane interacting with a man in a lab coat.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman in Exile" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "Superman in Exile;" "The Face and the Voice," and "The Whistling Bird"
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
depicted; associated person
Reeves, George
associated person
Neill, Noel
Larson, Jack
copyright holder
National Comics Publications, Inc.
maker
National Comics Publications, Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.016
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.016

Lobby Card, Superman and the Jungle Devil

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman and the Jungle Devil." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman fighti
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman and the Jungle Devil." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman fighting the titular monster. Superman's costume appears yellow instead of blue as the image has discolored over time, a result of the printing process.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman and the Jungle Devil" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "Shot in the Dark;" "The Machine that Could Plot Crimes;" and "Jungle Devil."
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
depicted; associated person
Reeves, George
associated person
Neill, Noel
copyright holder
National Comics Publications Inc.
associated person
Larson, Jack
maker
National Comics Publications Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.011
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.011
accession number
1987.0213

B.A. from The A-Team Child's Costume

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1983
depicted (sitter)
Mr. T.
ID Number
1989.0064.02
catalog number
1989.0064.02
accession number
1989.0064

Sweater worn by Carol Burnett in the role of Charwoman on The Carol Burnett Show

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1962
ID Number
1984.0223.06
accession number
1984.0223
catalog number
1984.0223.06

Mickey Mouse Club Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was made by Aladdin Industries in 1976. The lunch box features imagery from the popular children’s TV show, Mickey Mouse Club,. The original Mickey Mouse Club ran from 1955-1959 on ABC, but due to audience demand, the series remained popular into the 1960s.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was made by Aladdin Industries in 1976. The lunch box features imagery from the popular children’s TV show, Mickey Mouse Club,. The original Mickey Mouse Club ran from 1955-1959 on ABC, but due to audience demand, the series remained popular into the 1960s. Syndication started in 1962, with some new features edited in to the show, and syndication lasted until 1977, when Disney revived the series with The New Mickey Mouse Club.
date made
1976
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
1988.3160.54
catalog number
1988.3160.54
nonaccession number
1988.3160

Lobby Card, Superman Flies Again

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman's Flies Again." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of three white men talkin
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman's Flies Again." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of three white men talking.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman's Peril" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include "The Dog Who Knew Superman," "Jet Ace," and "The Clown who Cried."
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
copyright holder
National Comics Publications, Inc.
associated person
Reeves, George
Neill, Noel
Lord, Jack
maker
National Comics Publications, Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.022
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.022

Lobby Card, Superman in Exile

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman in Exile." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of three characters and an ani
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman in Exile." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of three characters and an animal cage.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman in Exile" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "Superman in Exile;" "The Face and the Voice," and "The Whistling Bird"
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
associated person
Reeves, George
Neill, Noel
Larson, Jack
copyright holder
National Comics Publications, Inc.
maker
National Comics Publications, Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.015
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.015

The Road Runner Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1970. The lunch box features imagery based on the cartoon adventures of Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1970. The lunch box features imagery based on the cartoon adventures of Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner. These shorts were featured in a variety of Loony Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, all centering on the Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner, often using a variety of products from the Acme Corporation.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1970
collected for nmah
Smithsonian Institution
maker
Thermos
ID Number
1988.3160.50
catalog number
1988.3160.50
nonaccession number
1988.3160

Lobby Card, Superman and the Jungle Devil

Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman and the Jungle Devil." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman fighti
Description (Brief)
Promotional lobby card for the 1954 movie "Superman and the Jungle Devil." The film was a compilation of three previously released episodes of the popular television series "Adventures of Superman." The card, one of a set produced for the film, features a still of Superman fighting the titular monster. Superman's costume appears yellow instead of blue as the image has discolored over time, a result of the printing process.
Premiering in 1952, the syndicated program "Adventures of Superman" ran on television for 6 seasons and 104 episodes. The three episodes packaged into the movie "Superman and the Jungle Devil" were all taken from the show's second season (1953-1954.) They include the stories "Shot in the Dark;" "The Machine that Could Plot Crimes;" and "Jungle Devil."
The "Adventures of Superman" starred actor George Reeves in the title role. The show also featured Noel Neill as journalist Lois Lane, Jack Larson as cub reporter/ photographer Jimmie Olson, and John Hamilton as editor Perry White.
The character of Superman first flew into action in 1938. The costumed superhero was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish teenagers from Cleveland Ohio, who used, among other things, Classical mythology, philosopher Fredrich Nietzche's concept of the "uber mensch," and the era's popular science fiction and adventure writing, for inspiration.
With his debut in Action Comics #1, Superman became an instant sensation with audiences, inspired by the "Man of Tomorrow's" virtue and heroics at time when the Nation was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of the Great Depression and moving closer to World War.
Born on the doomed planet Krypton, Superman was sent to Earth as a child, where our world's yellow sun granted him extraordinary powers such as flight, super-strength, near-invulnerability, as well as other extraordinary abilities including heat and X-Ray vision. As an adult living in the city of Metropolis, the alien, born Kal-El, protects his identity by assuming the persona of Clark Kent, a "mild-mannered" journalist.
Fighting for "Truth and Justice," Superman birthed a cultural fascination with superheroes, and has become one of the most recognizable and influential fictional characters in history. In addition to comic books, the character has been explored in all forms of media, including radio, television, and film, and has been used to promote a variety of successful consumer products, educational initiatives and public service campaigns.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
depicted; associated person
Reeves, George
associated person
Neill, Noel
copyright holder
National Comics Publications Inc.
associated person
Larson, Jack
maker
National Comics Publications Inc.
ID Number
1987.0213.010
accession number
1987.0213
catalog number
1987.0213.010

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